Bucky Dent's home run did not win the game. Check it out. It was very dramatic and brought the Yanks back into the game, giving them a 1-run lead, but Reggie's 8th-inning home run was decisive.
Johnny Lindell was a former All-Star, among other feats, and hardly "unsung." Do your research.
No one today remembers Allie Reynolds or Vic Raschi, but they were the Kershaw/Greinke duo for five consecutive years, particularly in World Series play. They were not interested in ERA or even wins-losses, just getting the team to the World Series. Reynolds also relieved routinely. Along with Eddie Lopat, they won 80% of all the post-season games for those five years between 1949-1953. Unattainable records? Try that one.
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Furthermore, according to Mr. Mather's article, Raschi completed the game, despite losing most of the five-run lead in the ninth. Guess managers in those days, despite many good relief pitchers, didn't opt for one as readily as now...
Did Boston trains come into Grand Central in those days?
When did they stop?
When did they stop?
1. Yes
2. When they reached the end of the track!
2. When they reached the end of the track!
Can anyone find Rizzuto in the photo?
"The Summer of '49" is a wonderful book.
I think David Halberstam's "October 1964" is even better.
Read it in one sitting.
Describes the 1964 baseball season.
Last WS for NYY until 1976.
Yankees used video of Mantle's walk off HR (in Game 3 of the 1964 WS) to lead off games on TV for many years due to lack of highlights.
They finished 6 out of 10 in 1965 and last in 1966.
The late Yogi Berra (RIP) was manager in 1964, lost the WS in 7 games, and got fired by the new owners (CBS).
I think David Halberstam's "October 1964" is even better.
Read it in one sitting.
Describes the 1964 baseball season.
Last WS for NYY until 1976.
Yankees used video of Mantle's walk off HR (in Game 3 of the 1964 WS) to lead off games on TV for many years due to lack of highlights.
They finished 6 out of 10 in 1965 and last in 1966.
The late Yogi Berra (RIP) was manager in 1964, lost the WS in 7 games, and got fired by the new owners (CBS).
Here's the 1964 baseball season in a nutshell: The Phillies! (Phillies vs Yankees would have been a just as intriguing Series...)
Summer of "49, by David Halberstam, is a great book about all of this.
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Johnny Lindell had another distinction. Not only did he play outfield for the Yankees, he was also a pitcher for the team. I think he had a stint in the minors between playing the two positions. A good trivia question.
Where was Yogi?
Yogi is on Hank Bauer's right. Bauer is on Stengel's right.
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Interesting point: on Opening Day of the '49 season, Yogi was on the bench. Gus Niarhos, a much better defensive catcher, started behind the plate. Yogi pinch hit, homered, and from then on, after learning his trade from Dickey, Reynolds, Raschi, and Lopat, was the starting catcher. They didn't let him call a game until well into the season, when he finally became comfortable calling for a curve with men on base.
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Raschi was called "the Springfield Rifle" because he was from West Springfield, Mass. Furillo, was called "the Reading Rifle". Morgan is right about Furillo's tremendous throwing arm. I remember those teams, too.
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This is the first game I ever saw,invited timidly into neighborhood bar to sit on the edge of a booth, I was twelve years old. The Springfield rifle was Carl Furillo of the Dodgers,the par excellence of right fielders. Furillo was able to at times take a ball of the right field wall and throw the runner out at first base if he turned towards second base.
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Furillo was the Reading Rifle, from his minor league days in Reading, PA, while Raschi was the Springfield Rifle, from West Springfield, MA
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